Transposed lead-in



11 F. E JOHNSTON 2,135,344

TRANSPOSED LEAD- IN Filed. July 26, 1955 u INVENTOR. .Fkffi Z5. JOHNS 70M BY PM ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 1, 1938 UNITED STATES,

PATENT OFFICE 3,135,344 \TRANSPOSED LEAD-IN Fred E. Johnston, Cincinnati, Ohio, assigno'r to The Crosley Radio Corporation, Cincinnati, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 25;, 1935, Serial No. 33,370 9 Claims. (01. 173-81) been necessary for the person doing the'installation work to attach these blocks or engage the wires in the slots therein every few feet to accomplish the necessary transposition. This becomes a tedious and, laborious job because the antenna must be hoisteda few feet at a time 15 while the blocks are attached. Moreover there is some danger of the blocks becoming disengaged during installation, anduntil the lead-in is finally stretched in place, thus requiring a repetition o the operations.

The art has offered the alternative suggestion of systems embodyingfund'amentally a pair of twisted insulated wires. Tests demonstrate that the average impedancegof a: lead-in of twisted wires is in the regionof 100 ohms, which makes such a lead in unsuitable for direct connection to most types of antenna and receiver. In addition the dielectric losses existing in a twisted pair lead-in are bound toeffect its performance;

and such a lead-in require'sth'e use of an im- 30 pedance matching transformer, in which also there are serious losses. The transposition block lead-in, on the other hand, has an impedance averaging about 500 ohms, which is a value very much more suitable for use with the ordinary radio set. It is an object of my invention to provide a lead-in anda structure which has the advantages of the transposition block type, but not its disadvantages. It is a further object of my invention to provide a means for the con- I to one skilled in the art upon reading these specifications, I accomplish by that particular construction and arrangement of parts and in that article of which I shall now describe an exemplary embodiment. For clearness reference is made now to the drawing:

z ns complete.

F gure l is a face view of one of my assembling Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Fig. 3 is a face view of one of the component parts of the device, with theinsulated conductors in place.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the lines 4, 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a length of completely constructed lead-in.

Briefly, in the practice of my invention, I provide means for positively clamping a pair of wires in crossing relationship in such a way thatthey cannot become disengaged. The means also is adapted to gauge the distance of the Wires one from another in the longitudinally disposed portions ofthe lead-in. The device is of'suoh character that it can be installed in' the field if desired, and when so installed obviates the dimculties hithertoencountered in the accidental disengagement or release of the wires from the blocks. The device, however, is particularly important in that it permits the manufacturing of lead-in constructions of indefinite length, and the convenient shipment and sale thereof as completed articles of commerce.

In the practice of my invention, I preferably provide a pair of formed ormoulded plates for each cross-over of the insulated conductors in the lead-in. These plates are identical, and the outer and inner configurations of an exemplary form thereof preferred by me will be appreciated from a consideration of Figs. 1 and 3. In these figures, I have shown the blocks (which may be of ceramic material, but are preferably made-by known moulding procedures from Bakelite, or other synthetic resinous compositions) in the form of plate-like members having a body I. The

inner face of the body is fiat, as shown'at la in Fig. 3. There is a central and preferably circular protuberance 2 on the outside of the plate allowing for a corresponding recession Zn on the under side of the plate. Ribs 3 on the outside of the plate connect the protuberances with the four corners, and beneath these ribs there are corresponding depressions 3a on the inside of the plate to receive the wires. The corners of the plate are preferably beveled as at 5, and the plate may be strengthened by 'an exterior peripheral, rib 6. Additional strengthening ribs 1 may connect the peripheral rib with the raised portion 2,. and intermediate the length of these ribs I provide enlarged portions la surrounding perforations through which fastening means may be passed. In use, the wires 8 are crossed, as indicated in Figs. 3 and 4, and two of the plates in opposed relationship are placed over the wires ations aiorcsai tired as a stock article, it is fastening means as eyelets or grommets of known type. If the lead-in is to be assembled in the field, it will be necessary to use some type of separable fastening, for which purpose a bolt and nut will serve.

The disposition and use of my device will be clear from the several figures. Essentially I have achieved a structure which is permanent, especially in the sense that the wires are firmly 15 clamped therein, and are not liable to displacement. Thus in the practice of my invention I am enabled to take indefinite lengths of conductors, attach my plates to them with the suitable transposition of the conductors at the desiredintef- 2O vals, and in this way make indefinite lengths of preformed lead-in structure, which can be conveniently rolled up on a reel, or on a card or board, or otherwise packaged for shipment and storage. No difiiculty is had with the tangling of the wires because these'wires are firmly held in the transposition plates and cannot become disengaged therefrom, as would be the case with the ordinary transposition blocks of commerce.

In Fig. 5, I have indicated the transposition as members broadly at 9, the wires again being shown at 8. This figure shows the appearance of a length of my preformed lead-in structure.

Modifications may be made in my invention without departing from the spirit thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. "in a transposed lead-in structure comprising pair of conductors arallel throughout a major portion of their ie. 5th, but transposed at intervals, a pair of p roanently attached plates at the 'tlansposition points having grooves whose axes cross within the boundaries of the plates, for effecting the transposition and for gauging the interspacing of said conductors in their parallel portions.

2. a transpose" a pair of conducto portion of their 1e vals, perms ,sition poi for gauging the int in t';-

parallel r of plates ad-in structure comprising arallel throughout a major but transposed at interd means at the trans the transposition and doctors, said plates having within the boundaries or the pla es, and Y i her so as to a pair of conductors parallel throughout a major rtion of their lengt? but transposed intermeans at the t .nspothe transposition and .uI' gauging the i; mg of said conductors in their parallel rtions, said means comprising of plates in opposed relationship, one on side or" said conductors, means for fastening aid plates together so as to cause said plates to said conductors said plates having upon their opposed sides grooves to receive said conarenas;

ductors and hollowed-out portions permitting the crossing of said conductors.

l. As an article of commerce, a preferred leadin structure of indefinite length comprising a. pair of conductors parallel throughout the greater 5 portion of their length and crossing at intervals, and a pair of permanently attached opposed plates fastening said conductors together at said crossing points, said plates having grooves whose axes cross within the boundaries of the plates so 1Q as to receive said wires between. them and to gauge the interspacing of said wires in their said parallel portions.

5. A transposed lead-in member comprising a substantially square plate of suitable material, said plate having a substantially plane side, with grooves in said side for receiving wires to be placed in transposed relationship, and a depres sion deeper than said grooves for permitting crossing of said wires.

6. A transposed lead-in member comprising a substantially square plate of suitable mac. 1, said plate having a substantially plane side, with grooves in said side for wires ts be placed in transposed relationship, a depression deeper than said grooves for perrrritting y of said wires, said plate on the opposite side hairing corresponding ridges and protuberance, provided with perforations whereby a. pair of said plates may be fastened together in opposed relationship to clamp the said conductors therebetween.

7. A transposed lead-in member comprising a substantially square plate of suitable material, said plate having a substantially plane side, with 3 grooves in said side for recei r' :3: wires to be placed in transposed relationship, a depression deeper than said grooves for permitting crossing of said wires, said plate on the opposite side having corresponding ridges and protuberance, and. m provided with perforations whereby a said plates may be fastened together in opt relationship to clamp the said conductors the; between, said plate having a peripheral strengthening rib.

. 8. A transposed lead-in member comprising a substantially square plate of suitable said plate having a substantially plane side, with grooves in said side for receiving wires to placed in transposed relationship, a depression deeper than said grooves tor p ng crossi.

of said wires, said plate on the opposite side hav-- ing corresponding ridges and protuber provided with perforations whereby a pair of said plates may be fastened togot r in relationship to clamp the said conductors therebetween, said plate having strv :t't ening rib, and additional ribs disposed radially of said protuberance, the corners of said plate ;e lng beveled.

9. A pre-constructed, transposed lead-in prising a pair of conductors and. transposlng means, said conductors extending parallel to e other between said transpos 1g means, and 2s ing each other at said transposing means, said transposing means compr'sing av pair of opposed, grooved plates engaging said conductors, and means to hold said plates in clam ing relationship with said wires whereby the position of said plates on said wires is fixed. e

FRED JOHNSTON. 

